Shoe-shank stiffener



Jan. 29, 1929. I 1,700,297

W. H. NICKERSON SHOE SHANK STIFFENER Fild Nov. 4, 1927 Patented Jan.29,1929.

ure 1.

v UNITED STATES I, 1,100,297 PATENT OFFICE.-

WILLIAM H. NICKERSON, 0F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.-

SHOE-SHANE STIFFENER.

' Application filed lioveinber 4, 1927. Serial Ilo.'231,015.

lhis invention relates to a shank stiffener incorporated between theshank portions of the outer and inner soles of a shoe, and ex tendingfrom the heel portion to approximately the ball portion, to maintain theafiched formation of the shank portion of the s oe. v

The object of the invention is toprovide a shank stifiener provided atits forward end portion with a metatarsal arch supporter which islocated at a predetermined height in a completed shoe, by the'seating orhearing of the forward end portion of the stiffener on the outsole, andis formed to cooperate with an inner sole portion above it, in providingan upwardly projecting protuberance on the shoe bottom, adapted toproperly support the metatarsal arch of the wearer.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are top views of different forms of shankstiffener in which the invention is embodied.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig- Figure 8 is a section on line88 of Figure 1.

Figure!) is ure 5. Figure '10 is a section on line 10-10 of Figure 5.

Figure 11 is a section on line 11-11 of Figure 4.

Figure 12 is a section on line 12-12 of Figure 4.

Figures 13 and 14 are fragmentary sectional views, showingmodifications.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of thefigures.

20 designates a shank stiffener, which may be of any suitable material,preferably sheet steel, although other materials may be employed. Thestiffener is longitudinally arched between its rear orheel and forwardends, to maintain any desired arched formation of the shank iportion ofa shoe bottom, the length of the sti ener being such that it is adaptedto extend from the heel portion to approxia section on line 9-9 of Figmately the ball portion of the bottom.

lient longitudinal ridge on its upper side, its

under side being reentrant, as shown by Figures 9 and 10. The ridge isinterrupted by a longitudinal slot 22, which imparts both longitudinaland transverse flexibility to the ridged portion, the edges of the slotbeing adapted to be flexed inward and downward.

In each of the illustrated forms, the under side of the stifli'ener isadapted to hear from end to end onvthe upper side of the shank portionof an outersole, although not necessarily from edge to edge, the formshown by Figures 5, 9 and 10 being such that only the longitudinal edgesand the ends of the stiffener bear on the outer sole.

The stiffener is characterized in each embodiment of the invention by anupwardly projecting convex metatarsal arch supporter 25, projectingwholly from the upper slde of the forward end portion of the stiffener,

serves, by its bearing on an outer sole, to locate the arch supporter25, at a predetermined height, so that in a completed shoe, the-archsupporter and a portion of an inner sole bearing thereon constitute, aprotuberance projecting ,into the foot-receiving space, and adapted tosupport the metatarsal arch of the wearer.

The arch supporter 25 extends substantially from one longitudinal edgeof the stiffener to the other, and has a dome-shaped upper surface,curving upwardly from the margin to the center of the supporter. Saidmargin may be oblong, or substantially .elliptical, as shown by Figures1, 3, 4, and '5, or circular,

as shown by Figures 2 and 6. When the margin is oblong, the major axisof the supporter may be at right angles with the longitudinal medianline of the stiffener, as

' shown by Figures land 5, or oblique to said any suitable means, forexample, flexible tongues 27, bent over portions of the stiffener.

One of the tongues may be bent over the margin of a hole 28 in thestiffener, and the others v over the margin of the stiffener. The holemay be omitted in some cases, as shown by Figure 6. The connecting meansmay be a rivet 29, as shown by Figure 14. The arch supporter may behollow, as shown by Figure 13, or solid, as shown by Figures 7, 10, 11and 11'. 'hen attached by a rivet 29, the supporter may be made ofcompressible material, such asvulcanizcd rubber.

VVhcnthe stiffener includes a longitudinal ridge and a fiat portion 31,at the forward end of the ridged portion, which is the case in certainstiifeners, particularly those of the cottage roof type, the supporteris formed to bear both on the end portion 31, and on apart of the archedand rldged portion, as shown by Figures 6, 10 and 11.

I claim:

' 1. A-shank stiffener adapted to'be built intp a'shoe between the innerand outer soles thereof, and comprising an elongated plate, archedlongitudinally between its forward and rear ends, and a metatarsal archsupporter secured to and projecting upward from said plate at theforward end thereof, said supporter being of such form in vertical crosssection as to provide a convex upper surface and having the entire areaof its lower face Within the margin of the plate.

2. A shank stiffener adapted to be built into a shoe between the innerand outer soles thereof, and comprising an elongated plate, archedlongitudinally between its forward and rear porterbeing connected byinterengaged marginal portions.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

. WILLIAM H. NICKERSON.

